Do Video Games Enhance Competencies and Skills? A Study Case on Civil Engineering Students

This study examines whether incorporating the video game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II" into a university course can enhance students' competencies and engagement, using a single case at a private university in Puebla, Mexico. The authors argue that game-based learning (GBL) can foster teamwork, leadership, communication, and interest in engineering content, and they present a session in which civil engineering students played collaboratively and then discussed the construction and operation of a hydraulic dam at a checkpoint within the game. The central thesis is that video games, when paired with pedagogically aligned activities, can serve as effective tools for active learning and community building in higher education.

The study's sample consisted of 30 ninth-semester students (20 men and 10 women, average age 23) enrolled in a "Hydraulic Works" course. Data were collected through a quantitative questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale covering six statements on graphics and gameplay quality, peer and teacher interaction, out-of-classroom learning, challenge alignment with expectations, enjoyment as an educational tool, and competency development. Reported results are strongly favorable, with agreement ranging from roughly 75 to 95 percent across items, and students reported that the approach encouraged feedback, reduced perceived hierarchy between teachers and students, and increased interest in engineering. Because the sample is small, drawn from one course at one institution, and relies solely on self-reported perceptions without a control group or pre- and post-assessment of skills, the findings are exploratory and cannot establish causal effects on learning outcomes.